i believe lindsey graham put together the dinner list. i think it was very smartly done because you had both conservative and moderate republicans in that room. which would breed some trust on the outside, that everybody was represented. i think that what the president is trying to do, the common-sense caucus that, you know, talking points coming out of the white house on this, there's no other option. the leadership doesn't have control of their caucuses. it's been proven time and time and time again. the president knows that. those folks in the white house know that. john boehner can't get a deal done because he doesn't have the support of his caucus. so let's go to the members of that caucus who could potentially put a deal together. there's no other option. this is the way it has to be done. and i think it's very smart what he's doing. >> michael steele, do you have an incisive analytical comment to make disguised as a question? >> no. look, i picked myself up off the floor after reading gene's piece this morning. you know, gene, brot